Kirkland House senior David Taft ended a brilliant house basketball career Saturday by leading his team to a 79-77 victory over Ezra Styles College of Yale. In his team's third consecutive win over the Yale intramural champion. Taft scored 31 points and four of the last five crucial baskets.

An Ezra Styles surge in the opening minutes of the last quarter broke Kirkland's halftime lead. To take the pressure off of Taft, who was being steadily double-teamed at guard, Kirkland coach Kenneth Deitch substituted sophomore Peter Banys.

Banys scored fourteen points, but with five minutes remaining Kirkland was down five and Yale had all the momentum to win. Strong rebound work by sophomore William Timpson and center John Leshy, a senior, combined with Taft's flashing performance for the win.

Kirkland House has posted 47 victories in 53 games played in the past three years, including a 53-50 defeat of the freshman squad in an informal game earlier this season.